You Know Where to Find Me
by runicmagitek
Summary: At one point, they made a promise together. Now it's time for a new one. Post-canon Squall/Rinoa


A full year passed by since Squall opened his eyes to the blue sky instead of the dismal blackness. Flower petals danced in the wind and the sun sat in a cloudless sky. And she was there, grinning and tearing up.

"You're alive!" Rinoa breathed out.

Time moved on and he still recalled the moment. He thought he died in the time compression. The warped sounds and images disturbed his frail mind until he couldn't differentiate between reality and illusion. The fragments of his memories and the possibilities of an alternative timeline left a scar along his soul. Squall deemed himself sane when he woke up or at least convinced himself of that.

But he couldn't have done it without her. Rinoa found him, saved him from himself, and order was restored. In those moments when a subtle sound or image triggered Squall, Rinoa was there to grab him before he fell to his knees.

"I don't want to be a burden," he uttered one day as the tears rolled down his face.

"Nonsense," Rinoa replied, giving him a squeeze. "You're going to have to do much worse to scare me away."

Over the year, Squall realized he never could strike fear into her heart, not when she walked amongst the public as a sorceress. Talks of keeping Rinoa in check circulated, stating it was for her safety along with the public's. Squall sat beside her the countless nights she woke herself up to cry.

"I didn't ask for this," Rinoa sobbed. "I just wanted to help the world be a better place. And now half the people in the world are scared of me. They'd want me frozen and locked away than to hear me out or even help me."

"It doesn't mean you should let them win," Squall whispered. "Don't run and hide."

"I wasn't planning on it." She clung onto his arm. "Don't leave me, Squall. I don't know what I'd do if I had to do this alone."

Squall smoothed a hand over her head and kissed her temple. "I wasn't planning on it," he echoed back.

They needed each other equally. The thought of being alone when the trauma resurfaced for Squall was another nightmare by itself. The sights and sounds replacing reality terrified him as much as the flashbacks themselves. But he promised to be her knight, forever supporting his sorceress while the world stood against them. Squall had to stay resilient for her, though at times he doubted whether or not he could when he spontaneously crumbled over a distant memory.

Even after a year, he still fell victim to the nightmares from his time spent locked up in time compression.

But his word alone wasn't enough to satisfy himself. Their affectionate exchanges throughout the day spoke loud of their intentions, yet Squall wished to do more for the woman who saved his life.

The week long vacation out to the flower field - _their_ flower field - was the most spontaneous decision Squall had ever made. Rinoa never questioned him, happy enough that he finally took the time off after an entire year spent slaving over Balamb Garden and SeeD.

Walking across the endless sea of grass and flowers brought forth peace and dread. One moment, he recalled the distorted version of the flower field and the next, he remembered the promise he and Rinoa made, how it was their secret place.

She laughed in the distance while playing with Angelo. It was all it took to cement him back into reality. Squall glanced over to Rinoa in her blue sundress, long hair blowing in the breeze as she ran around with her beloved pet. His lips curled up while watching from afar. The one hand in his jacket pocket rolled over a small object.

Rinoa caught sight of him and rushed over. She still giggled while Angelo matched her pace. "What are you up to over here? Still enjoying yourself?"

Squall motioned to her with his chin. "Enjoying the view."

She wrinkled her face before breaking out into laughter. "I'm just glad we can do this together. We've never had a chance to just relax. Always busy. You deserved a break."

 _We both do,_ Squall thought.

But above all, they deserved a life where they could pave a path on their own terms and not determined by a sorceress from the future. Through all the hardships, they conquered every one of them together. Even now, when Squall did his best to fight away the demons lurking behind flower petals and daring to subject him to a nightmare in his waking state, he didn't fear he'd fall and shatter. Rinoa would grab him and float to safety.

The feeling was mutual, too. Squall hadn't returned for her and ensured she wasn't frozen away forever just to humor himself. He needed her in his life, each breath around her as refreshing as it was vital. The world could stand against her and forget the amazing accomplishments she tackled in her life, but no matter the scenario, Squall would stand in their way as her knight.

Though he was more than just a knight and she was more than a sorceress to him.

Rinoa tilted her head, perhaps wondering what thoughts rummaged in his cluttered mind. He anticipated the usual comment about him reverting back into his shell and how it needed to stop, especially while they were enjoying themselves. Instead, she waited, curious eyes looking him over as a mischievous smile danced upon her lips. Squall interlaced their hands together and she gave him a squeeze, an anchor to the reality they shared together.

When he dropped to one knee before her and presented the diamond ring made for her fingers, Squall didn't even need to ask. The answer was yes. It always had been, but he needed to make it official. Tears rolled down Rinoa's face as she smiled down at him, just like when she found him on the brink of death a year ago.

And no different from then, they were never planning on leaving the other.


End file.
